strep throat

Summer break is halfway over and parents are already up and about with the preparations for school. Aside from getting the necessary school supplies and uniforms we also need to prepare for the possible ailments that our kids might be exposed to in school. Common health concerns for kids are usually viral in nature like tonsillitis or sore throat.

A person inflicted with tonsillitis experience sore throat, pain with swallowing, fever, headache, cough, hoarseness, runny nose, eye redness, nausea and vomiting, redness which may be accompanied by white patches in the tonsils, and ear pain. Most of the time this is caused by viral infections, the other possible cause of tonsillitis is bacterial infection triggered by Streptococcus Pyogenes bacteria. This is known as strep throat.

Tonsillitis can be treated with regular or over the counter paracetamol, analgesics, pain relievers, oral antiseptics, antibiotics and increase of fluid intake. You may also ease throat pain by gargling warm water with salt.

More often than not tonsillitis may be treated without antibiotic medication except for strep throat or bacterial tonsillitis. Usually strep throat would exhibit the same symptoms as viral tonsillitis.

To be safe, observe your patient for the following symptoms: tender glands in the neck, rash, worsening pain, uncontrolled secretions, not able to eat or drink nor take medicines, and unresponsive to home care treatment. You may also want to check if the patient has been exposed to a person with strep throat. If this is the case, you need to get doctor’s advice immediately for proper treatment and medication. Strep throat can lead to more serious medical conditions if not treated properly.

Let’s not take chances with the health of our family, make sure we have the right medication on hand at all times. It would help a lot if we make sure that our kids are properly nourished and taught proper hygiene to prevent the spread of viruses.